Latching mechanism for carriage of a knitting machine

ABSTRACT

A latching mechanism for the carriage of a knitting machine that is slidable along slide rails on the bed of the machine and pivotable about one of the said slide rails. A latch plate is slidably mounted in the carriage and is formed with a slot having varying dimensions. A spring-biased pin member is mounted in the carriage and projects into the slot and is cooperable therewith to maintain the latch plate in latched or unlatched position. A latch dog is movably mounted in the carriage and is spring-biased to urge the latch plate towards its latched position to lock the carriage to another of the slide rails.

United States Paten [191 Rogers [451 Apr. 30, 1974 LATCHING MECHANISM FOR CARRIAGE OF A KNITTING MACHINE Howard D. Rogers, Westfield, NJ.

The Singer Company, New York, NY.

Filed: May 24, 1973 Appl. No.1 363,462

[75] Inventor:

Assignee:

[52] US. CL... 66/60, 66/64 11 Field of Search 66/60, 60 H, 64,78

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,063,270 11/1962 Schurich 66/60 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,140,643 7/1957 France 66/60 1,168,598 4/1964 Germany 66/60 Int. Cl D04b 7/00 1,173,937 3/1959 France 66/60 Primary Examiner-Ronald Feldbaum Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Marshall J, Breen; Chester A. Williams, 11".; Joel Halpem ABSTRACT A latching mechanism for the carriage of a knitting machine that is slidable along slide rails on the bed of the machine and pivotable about one of the said slide rails. A latch plate is slidably mounted in the carriage and is formed with a slot having varying dimensions. A spring-biased pin member is mounted in the carriage and projects into the slot and is cooperable therewith to maintain the latch plate in latched or unlatched position. A latch dog is movably mounted in the carriage and is spring-biased to urge the latch plate towards its latched position to lock the carriage to another of the slide rails.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures LATCHING MECHANISM FOR CARRIAGE OF A KNITTING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is conventional, in the field of hand knitting machines, to provide the needle bed of the machine with at least two slide rails along which the carriage slides. The carriage is provided, on its inner surface adjacent the needle bed, with the desired cam system operable upon the butts or heels of the needles to reciprocate the needles in accordance with the knitted pattern to be effected. Such carriages are generally manually operable,

being provided with a handle to facilitate manipulation.

Certain machines, however, are provided with electric motor drive means whereby the carriage may be reciprocated under the influence of the motor drive. The present invention is applicable to knitting machines provided with either manually operable-or motor drivencarriages. In either case it has been customary to pivot the carriage or a portion thereof about one of the slide rails and to lock the carriage to a second slide rail for longitudinal movement along such slide rails during the knitting procedure. Further, the carriage is removable from the slide rails when desired, such as when the machine is to be transported or'when one or more of the cams are to be replaced or readjusted. Whenever the carriage has been removed from the bed of the machine, or unlocked and pivoted away from said second slide rail for any purpose, it is essential that the carriage be once again positively locked to the second rail before knitting is resumed. Failure to achieve such positive locking with the second slide rail can cause jamming of the machine, damage .to the needles or to the knit work already completed. Also, unless the carriage is locked positively to the second rail it is not possible to achieve the intended camming action through cooperation of the cams and needles. Previous latching mechanisms have failed to insure such positive locking. The principle disadvantages of prior locking and latching mechanisms were (a) that in order to remove the carriage from the needle bed it was necessary to manually disassemble a locking device before the carriage was slid endwise along the rails, and it was necessary to reassemble such locking device after the carriage was replaced on therails, (b) with carriages which did not require ,disassembly and reassembly of the locking device it was nevertheless necessary to manually reset a mechanical latching device after the carriage was replaced on the needle bed in order to properly lock the carriage to the bed in operative knitting relationship. However, it was not readily apparent to the operator that proper locking had been effectedalthough the carriage was atop the slide rails in what appeared to be the correct position. Consequently, un-

It is another object of the invention to provide a latching mechanism for locking of the carriage of a manually operable knitting machine which is actuated by placement of the carriage into the knitting position on the slide rails.

Other objects and advantages of the latching mechanism will become readily apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of the invention.

According to the present invention there is provided a latching mechanism for the carriage of a knitting machine adapted to be slidably carried by at least two longitudinally extending slide rails on the bed of said machine, said carriage being pivotable about one of said slide rails, said mechanism comprising at least one latch plate mounted slidably in said carriage with one end extending therefrom, each said latch plate being formed with a slot therein of varying dimension, a pin member mounted in said carriage for each latch plate spring biased to project into the slot thereof and cooperable with said slot to maintain said latch plate in a selected position, a latch dog being movably mounted in said carriage associated with each said latch plate and adapted to continuously urge the associated latch plate towards its latched position so as to lock said carriage slidably to a second of said slide rails.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be more fully comprehended it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a manually operable knitting machine, incorporating'the present invention, showing the carriage in its unlocked position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of theunderside of one end of the carriage of the machine showing one embodiment of the latching mechanism of the invention; 7

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 showing a second embodiment of the latching mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation, in cross-section, of the latching mechanism according to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3 with the carriage in its unlatched and unlocked position;

FIG. Sis a view similar to that of FIG. 4 with the carriage in its latched and locked position;

beknown to'the operator, knitting was frequently initi- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is one object of the invention to provide a latching mechanism for the carriage of a manually operable knitting machine which will assure positive lockingof the carriage on the slide rails of the machine.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the latching plate and pin taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 4 when the carriage is in the unlatched and unlocked position; and

' FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6 taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5 when the carriage is in the latched and locked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings there is shown a knitting machine 10 which is provided with a needle bed 11 having a pair of longitudinally extending slide rails 12, 13 mounted thereon. A carriage 14 is illustrated in its unlocked position on the bed of the machine pivoted about the lower slide rail l2.'As is well known, the Carriage may be manipulated by hand to reciprocate back and forth along the slide rails. Where desired a motor drive (not shown) may be provided for reciprocation of the carriage. The latching'mechanism is located on the underside of thecarriage preferably at both ends thereof, and is identified generally by reference numeral 15.

As depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, the underside 16 of the carriage is given 'a camming system which includes cams such as 17, 18, 19,20 which are designed to act upon the heels or butts of the needles (not shown) carried reciprocably by the bed of the machine. By reciprocating the carriage longitudinally along the slide rails the cams are caused to act upon the needles, as aforesaid, to thereby move the needles into various yarn knitting positions so as to produce the desired knitted pattern.

The latching mechanism comprises a latch plate 21 which is slidably mounted in the carriage of the ma-' chine and one end of which extends beyond the face of the carriage. The latch plate has a slot 22' formed therein dimensioned to seat selected portions of a pin member 23 therein. As shown the slot is given'a keyhole configuration, the smaller diameter aperture of the slot being located at a location remote from the end of the latch plate which extends beyond the end face of the carriage. Pin member 23 is formed with a head portion 24 having a diameter larger than the diameter of the smaller aperture of the keyhole slot but smaller than the diameter of the larger aperture of the slot and with a depending shank portion 25 having a diameter less than that of the smaller aperture of the slot. Thus, as thelatch plate is moved by the latch dog, as will be hereinafter described, the pin is alternately seated in either the smaller or larger aperture of the slot so as to maintain the latch plate in the selected latched or unlatched position respectively. In the latched position the depending portion 25 of the pin member will be seatedwithin the smaller aperture of the slot whereas in the unlatched position-the head portion 24 will be seated within the larger aperture of the slot. Spring 26 urges the pin member 23 into one of its seated positions.

The latching mechanism also comprises alatch-dog 27 movably mounted in the carriage of the machine, such as by being mounted pivotably (FIG. 2) or slidably (FIG. 3). According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 the latch dog may take the form of a lever which is pivotable abouta shoulder screw 28 such that end portion 29 is moved to a position where the carriage is lockedto slide rail 13 and cannot be unlocked until the extended end of the latch plate 21 is depressed and the carriage then pivoted about slide rail 12.

According to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3 the latch dog may take the form of a slide plate 30 which is desirably guided within the carriage by having one or more slots 31 formed therein within which ride one or more screw or stud members 32.

As can be seen by. reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, a spring member 33 is provided on the underside of the carriage adapted to urge the latch dog into engagement component of the cam track for guidance of the needlebutts. The slide rail is preferably given a turned in portion 37 (See FIG. 4) below which a cooperable lug portion of the latch dog is urged to thereby lock the carriage to the bed. The carriage is also provided with a pivot bar 38 which is cooperable with slide rail 12 so that the carriage is pivotable thereabout from the locked or latched position to the unlocked or unlatched position. Further, the carriage is so formed that when it is positioned to rest upon slide rail 13 the weight distribution thereof is such that it causes the pin-member 23 to move outwardly against spring 26 to the extent that under the influence of spring 33 the latch dog 27 urges-the latch plate 21 forward to its latched position whereby pin member 23 is repositioned within the smaller aperture of slot 22 to maintain the mechanism in the latched position with the carriage positively locked to the bed and permitted only to reciprocate longitudinally along the slide rails.

- As. is well known, theknitting machine may be provided with a pair of needle beds and with a carriage positioned on 'each such bed. This arrangement permits the production of tubular knitted products and a wider variety of knitted patterns. It will beunderstood that the latching mechanism of this invention is utilizable with each of such carriages.

It will thus be seen that the latching mechanism of this invention enables the carriage to be pivoted from its locked position on the slide rails so asto permit acces to the underlying camming section and needle whenever desired, such pivotal movement'being possible without having to disassemble any mechanical locking device. If desired, the carriage may be removed completely from the needle bed. The mechanism also insures positive locking of the carriage to the slide rails by simply pivoting the carriage into its original position atop the slide rails. The weight distribution of the carriage and the latching mechanism cooperate to effectu ate such positive locking without resort to any manually operable device which requires resetting. It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, arrangements of parts and operating conditions which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of. the invention will be made by those skilled in the art within the principlesand scope of the invention. '7

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed herein is:

1. A latching mechanism for the carriage of a knitting machine adapted to be slidably carried by at least two longitudinally extending slide rails on the bed of said machine, saidcarriage being pivotable about one of said slide rails, said mechanism comprising at least one latch plate mounted slidably in said carriage with one end extending therefrom, each said latch plate being formed with a slottherein of varying dimension, a pin member mounted in said carriage for each latch plate spring biased to project'into the slot thereof and cooperable with said slot to maintain said latch plate in a selected position, a latch dog .being movably mounted in said carriage associated with each said latch plate and adapted to continuously urge the associated latch plate towards its latched position so as to lock said carriage slidably to a second of said slide rails.

2. A- latching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said slot is given a keyhole configuration, said pin member having a head portion with a diameter less than the diameter of the larger aperture section of said keyhole slot but larger than that of the smaller aperture section of said slot and said pin member having a depending shank portion with a diameter less than the diameter of said smaller aperture section of the slot, said slot being formed in said latch plate with the smaller aperture section furthest from the end thereof which extends from said carriage.

3. A latching mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said latch plate is provided with a depending portion adapted to be engaged by said latch dog so as to cause said latch plate to be urged thereby towards its latched position.

4. A latching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said latch dog is mounted pivotably on said carriage, one end of said latch dog being spring-biased into engagement with said latch plate.

5. A latching mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said latch dog is mounted slidably on said carriage, one end of said latch dog being spring-biased into engagement with said latch plate.

6. A latching mechanism according to claim 4,

wherein said carriage is provided with first and second longitudinally depending walls to define a recessed portion dimensioned to slidably receive said second rail on the bed of the machine to allow said carriage to slide therealong but to be pivoted about said first slide rail between locked and unlocked positions, said latch dog being so formed and mounted on said carriage as to permit longitudinal movement of said carriage along said first and second slide rails but so as to prevent pivotal movement of said carriage about said first slide rail when said latch dog has urged said latch plate to its latched position.

7. A latch mechanism according to claim 5, wherein said carriage is provided with first and second longitudinally depending walls to define a recessed portion dimensioned to slidably receive said second slide rail on the bed of the machine to allow said carriage to slide therealong but to be pivoted about said first slide rail betweenlocked and unlocked positions, said latch dog being so formed and mounted on said carriage as to permit longitudinal movement of said carriage along said first and second slide rails but so as to prevent pivotal movement of said carriage about said first slide rail when said latch dog has urged said latch plate to its latched position. i

8. A latching mechanism according to claim 6, wherein said carriage is so formed that when the carriage is positioned to rest on said second slide rail the weight distribution thereof causes said pin member to move against the spring which biases same into said slot to thereby reposition same in the small aperture of the slot and permit said latch dog to move said latch plate to its latched position.

9. A latching mechanism according to claim 7, wherein said weight distribution thereof causes said pin member to move against the spring which biases same into said slot to thereby reposition same in the small aperture of the slot and permit said latch dog to move said latch plate to its latched position.

10. A latching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said knitting machine is of the manually operable type. 

1. A latching mechanism for the carriage of a knitting machine adapted to be slidably carried by at least two longitudinally extending slide rails on the bed of said machine, said carriage being pivotable about one of said slide rails, said mechanism comprising at least one latch plate mounted slidably in said carriage with one end extending therefrom, each said latch plate being formed with a slot therein of varying dimension, a pin member mounted in said carriage for each latch plate spring biased to project into the slot thereof and cooperable with said slot to maintain said latch plate in a selected position, a latch dog being movably mounted in said carriage associated with each said latch plate and adapted to continuously urge the associated latch plate towards its latched position so as to lock said carriage slidably to a second of said slide rails.
 2. A latching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said slot is given a keyhole configuration, said pin member having a head portion with a diameter less than the diameter of the larger aperture section of said keyhole slot but larger than that of the smaller aperture section of said slot and said pin member having a depending shank portion with a diameter less than the diameter of said smaller aperture section of the slot, said slot being formed in said latch plate with the smaller aperture section furthest from the end thereof which extends from said carriage.
 3. A latching mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said latch plate is provided with a depending portion adapted to be engaged by said latch dog so as to cause said latch plate to be urged thereby towards its latched position.
 4. A latching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said latch dog is mounted pivotably on said carriage, one end of said latch dog being spring-biased into engagement with said latch plate.
 5. A latching mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said latch dog is mounted slidably on said carriage, one end of said latch dog being spring-biased into engagement with said latch plate.
 6. A latching mechanism according to claim 4, wherein said carriage is provided with first and second longitudinally depending walls to define a recessed portion dimensioned to slidably receive said second rail on the bed of the machine to allow said carriage to slide therealong but to be pivoted about said first slide rail between locked and unlocked positions, said latch dog being so formed and mounted on said carrIage as to permit longitudinal movement of said carriage along said first and second slide rails but so as to prevent pivotal movement of said carriage about said first slide rail when said latch dog has urged said latch plate to its latched position.
 7. A latch mechanism according to claim 5, wherein said carriage is provided with first and second longitudinally depending walls to define a recessed portion dimensioned to slidably receive said second slide rail on the bed of the machine to allow said carriage to slide therealong but to be pivoted about said first slide rail between locked and unlocked positions, said latch dog being so formed and mounted on said carriage as to permit longitudinal movement of said carriage along said first and second slide rails but so as to prevent pivotal movement of said carriage about said first slide rail when said latch dog has urged said latch plate to its latched position.
 8. A latching mechanism according to claim 6, wherein said carriage is so formed that when the carriage is positioned to rest on said second slide rail the weight distribution thereof causes said pin member to move against the spring which biases same into said slot to thereby reposition same in the small aperture of the slot and permit said latch dog to move said latch plate to its latched position.
 9. A latching mechanism according to claim 7, wherein said weight distribution thereof causes said pin member to move against the spring which biases same into said slot to thereby reposition same in the small aperture of the slot and permit said latch dog to move said latch plate to its latched position.
 10. A latching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said knitting machine is of the manually operable type. 